10/3/14

Let's
face it: not all pets are as pious and prayerful as the pup in this
picture! Maybe that why it's good for us to bring our animals for a
blessing on St. Francis Day. Why on the feast of St. Francis?

Many
of the stories that surround the life of St Francis deal with his love
for animals. Perhaps the most famous incident that illustrates the
Saint’s humility towards nature is recounted in the 'Fioretti'
(The Little Flowers), a collection of legends and folk-lore that sprang
up after the saint’s death. It is said that one day while Francis was
traveling with some companions they happened upon a place in the road
where birds filled the trees on either side. Francis told his companions
to “wait for me while I go to preach to my sisters the birds.” The birds surrounded him, drawn by the power of his voice, and not one of them flew away. Francis spoke to them:
"My sister birds, you owe much to God, and you must always and in
everyplace give praise to Him; for He has given you freedom to wing
through the sky and He has clothed you… for the Creator loves you
greatly and He blesses you abundantly. Therefore… always seek to praise
God."Another legend from the Fioretti tells us that in the city of Gubbio
, where Francis lived for some time, there was a wolf “terrifying and
ferocious, who devoured men as well as animals.” Francis had compassion
upon the townsfolk, and went up into the hills to find the wolf. Soon
fear of the animal had caused all his companions to flee, but the saint
pressed on and when he found the wolf he made the sign of the cross and
commanded the wolf to come to him and hurt no one...Then Francis led the
wolf into the town, and surrounded by startled citizens he made a pact
between them and the wolf... In this manner Gubbio was freed from the menace of the predator...These
legends exemplify the Franciscan mode of charity and poverty as well as
the saint's love of the natural world. Part of his appreciation of the
environment is expressed in his Canticle of the Sun, a poem... which
expresses a love and appreciation of Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Mother
Earth, Brother Fire and all of God's creations personified in their
fundamental forms. In "Canticle of the Creatures," he wrote: "All praise to you, O Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures." - Wikipedia

Many
parishes have a Blessing of Animals this weekend because the Feast of St. Francis is celebrated this Saturday, October 4. Check with your local parish for a
blessing in your area.(At Holy Family Parish in Concord on Sunday, October 5 at 1:00 p.m. in the parking lot.)

So, if your...

needs a little holy help,attend the Blessing of Animals
in your parish!

Are you thinking about becoming a Catholic?

The best place to start is always one of your local Catholic churches. Drop in some Sunday and see what's going on. Then you might speak to the pastor or someone on the parish staff about how they can help you and respond to your questions.